Professor Dimitri Spivak, who is Chair of the UNESCO Chair in Comparative Studies of Spiritual Traditions, their Specific Cultures and Interreligious Dialogue, has published a paper in the journal Lingua-Universum, entitled Intercultural Cooperation in Actual UNESCO Strategy.

Published in Russian, the article discusses the main features of intercultural cooperation, which is a key UNESCO priorities. The paper examines how intercultural cooperation has been implemented in the UNESCO Medium-Term Strategy (2022-2029), as well as a number of UNESCO reports and programs.

Spivak shows that the implementation of intercultural cooperation in UNESCO programmes includes both a general and specific approach. The general approach involves the distribution of elements of intercultural dialogue along all UNESCO Strategic Objectives and Major Programmes. The specific approach relates to the organisation’s application for the attainment of key goals, such as the protection of human rights, promotion of social cohesion, preservation of linguistic diversity, and support of inclusive education.

Spivak also analyses rapprochement of important objectives such as intercultural dialogue and protection of cultural heritage, codified in the complex conceptual notion of ‘diversity of heritage.’ This notion was formulated as one of the nine Outcomes of the Medium-Term Strategy. Spivak argues it has quite an im-pressive theoretical potential, and at the same time can serve as a bridge to the notion of traditional spiritual values, which forms a focal point for researchers in this country.

The UNESCO Chair on Comparative Studies of Spiritual Traditions, their Specific Cultures, and Interreligious Dialogue is a member of the IDIU Network.

The Russian-Ukrainian War: Challenges and Prospects (La guerre russo-ukrainienne : enjeux et perspectives) is a French language publication edited by the UNESCO Chair of Memory, Cultures and Interculturalism, Professor Roger K. Koudé.

About this book

“The origins of the war between Russia and Ukraine seem to go back in the more or less distant past, which in this case resulted in a first armed confrontation in 2014, over Crimea. Could the resumption and prolongation of this conflict have been avoided, eight years later? What lessons can be drawn from this international crisis, which presents itself as a real challenge to global peace and security? In this book, it is essentially a question of understanding and analysing the various explanatory factors, the stakes as well as the multidimensional consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, which was obviously foreseeable. Decidedly, in addition to its own characteristics, this conflict does not fail to accentuate the usual contradictions of the international system within the United Nations itself.”

Find out more about The Russian-Ukrainian War (La guerre russo-ukrainienne)

The UNESCO Chair of memory, Cultures and Interculturalism is a member of the Inter-Religious Dialogue and Intercultural Understanding Network.

The UNESCO Chair in Regional Education Development and Lifelong Learning is pleased to share the Routledge International Handbook of Life and Values Education in Asia, which he recently co-edited, along with Emeritus Professor Kerry J. Kennedy.

The Handbook looks at the role education plays in shaping modern Asia’s values. It explores both changing values and values deeply held and shared across cultures. As the publishers note:

 “While a range of values is identified here, there is no single set of values that can be applied to all people in all contexts. The time has long gone, even for single societies, when values can be imposed. Yet this Handbook emphasizes both the extent and importance of values to individuals and their societies—how they respond to these values may provide the key to better and more caring societies and to better lives for all.”

Professor Shahbaz Khan, Director for UNESCO Regional Office in East Asia wrote:

“In a world increasingly fraught with conflict and division, “The Routledge International Handbook of Life and Values Education in Asia” offers a beacon of hope and inspiration…Lee and Kennedy astutely recognize that peace and harmony in Asia cannot be achieved solely through political and economic cooperation. It requires a deeper understanding and appreciation of the shared cultural and spiritual values that bind the region together. By nurturing a sense of shared humanity and fostering respect for diversity, value education can play a vital role in building a more peaceful and mutually beneficial future.

Meanwhile, the book goes beyond simply advocating for a return to traditional values. It also recognizes the need to reimagine our futures together, incorporating the principles of inclusion, multiculturalism, and sustainable development education. This requires an open and continuous dialogue that engages diverse voices and perspectives, allowing us to collectively envision a future that is both ecologically sustainable and socially equitable.”

The handbook is a resource for academics, policy makers and teachers interested in social values, education and intercultural understanding.

Read more about the Routledge International Handbook of Life and Values Education in Asia.

The UNESCO Chair in Regional Education Development and Lifelong Learning is based at the Education University of Hong Kong. The Chair is a member of the IDIU Network.